Car-heating system.



flu-630,627.

Patented Aug. 8, I899. J F. McELROY. I CAR HEATING SYSTEM.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1895') (N0 Modal.)

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J. F. McELBflY.

CAR HEATING SYSTEM.

(Application filed Apr. 13, 1895.)

(No Model.)

Artful 1113' m: nmzms werzas' co, Pkofaurna, WASHINGTON, u c.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F.-MCELROY, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONSOLI DATED CAR-HEATING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CAR-HEATING SYSTEM..

srncrnxcn'rlon forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,627, dated August a, 1899.

Application filed A ril 13, 1895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MCELROY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Car-Heating System, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to methods of heating railway-carsby steam; andthe object of my invention is to produce adireot steam-return system which is much less expensive in construction and. greatly reduces the dangers from freezing which have been so common with return systems of heating. I attain this object in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a car-floor provided with my system of heating, the dotted lines showing the work beneath the floor. Fig. 2 is a detail view of the steam and drip valve. Fig. 3 is a section of the piston P along the line 1 1 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 shows my invention applied to a coil. Fig. 5 shows a modified form of my invention in perspective applied to the drum-heating system. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the drum Z. Fig. 7 is a horizontal section through the drum Z, and Fig. Sis a cross-section along the line 1 1 on Fig. 6. r

Similar letters andfigures refer to similar parts through'outthe several views.

The train-pipes A and B beneath the car are connected at one end with a source of steam, which is usually furnished by the 10- is at one end of the train','-the, steam enters through the train-pipe B, as indicated by the arrow, Fig. 1, the train-pipe A being a return-pipe for the condensation of steam to the source of supply, or when the source of steam Serial No. 545,578. (No model.)

is at the other end of the car the pipe A is the supply and the pipe B is the return.

Within the car, on each side thereof or in any suitable position, I arrange a heat-distributing system, consisting'ofthe pipes C, D, andE on one side'and corresponding pipes O, D, andE on the opposite side. I usually construct the upper pipes O and C larger than the lower pipes D, E,*D,and E. The pipe 0 is connected with the pipes 'D'and E and the pipes'O with the pipes D and E. The lower pipes D, E, D, and E are arranged to decline toward the center of the car, as shown in Fig. 1. The upper pipes C and C may by the use of fire-clay or of hot-water storage be constructed so as to make the system that of a storage system. To the inner ends of the lower pipes D E D E are respec* tively attached short horizontal pipes d e d e,

which are located transversely to the axis of I the car and beneath the car-seats, each of which connects, respectively, with uprights f g f g, the lower ends of which are connected with the pipes F and G, respectively, beneath the car-floor. The pipe F is connected by means of the coupling H with the three-way valve J in the train-pipe B. The pipeG is connected by the coupling K with the threeway valve L in the train-pipe A. The valvestems M N, which operate the three-way valves, respectively, J L, extend through the floor of the car and are adapted to be operated from Within the car at m n.

At the connection between the horizontal pipes d, e, d, and c with their corresponding risersf, g, f, and g I arrange a steam and drip valve 0. (Shown in detail in Fig. 2.) These valves are shown placed under the seat, one on each side, and will be used, one for controlling the steam, the other for controlling the return of' condensation to the trainpipe. When the position of the locomotive or steam-supply is changed, it is evident that the use of the valves must be reversed, as the steam will be supplied through the opposite train-pipe, and hence throughthe opposite valve, the rule being to supply steam through the valve farthest from the engine or source of steam-supply and the water of condensation returned through the sets of valves on both sides toward the engine. It is for this purpose that I make the particular form of valve shown in Fig. 2, although I do not limit myself to the construction described.

In the valve 0 the valve-stem S has a projection 3 below the disk T, and on said projection is fitted a piston P, having a cylindrical projection R, in which V- shaped slots V are made. The piston I makes a loose fit in an opening through a web 13, made with the casing. Through this piston there may be a small hole r, which is placed in the edge of the piston, so as to allow water to flow between the piston and the web R. lVhen this valve is used at the drip connection, it is turned about one complete turn open, which allows the water to flow through and under the valve-disk, then through the opening in the piston, and down into the main return. \Vhen this valve is used for steam, its position may be regulated to suit the circumstances from open to closed. In the position in which it is used as a return the opening through it is just the size of the opening through the piston-space. When a car happens to be at the end of a train, I then turn the three-way valves so as to close off the rear half of both train-pipes.

The operation of my system is apparent. The steam entering the pipe B, Fig. 1, when, because of the position of the source of steam the pipe B is the supply-pipe, as aforesaid, it passes through the three-way valve J into pipe F and enters the heat-distributing system by means of the lower radiating-pipes D and D, through the connectingpipes d and d, from whence it passes to the end of the car and then upward through the larger pipes O and C, traverses the whole length of the car, and returns through the pipes E and E, through the pipes e and 6', into pipe G, through the three-way valve L, to the return-pipe A. The larger and upper pipes C and C, I preferably place parallel to the top of the truss-plank, the full length of the car, as this would make it nearlyhorizontal, so that the water would flow through it in the direction in which the flow of steam takes place through the same pipe. This would make sure that the flow of water in this main pipe takes place, so as to carry the water to the main return. The lower pipes are preferably inclined from the corners of the car to the center, and at the same time I make these pipes small, so that the steam passing from the steam-valve would have suflicient velocity to carry with it any water which might be in this pipe. By the omission of the complicated valve arrangement by which steam is directed from either train-pipe into the side pipes I am able to greatly reduce the cost of the apparatus, also to greatly reduce dangers from freezing, which have been so common with return systems of heating.

lVhen it is desired in operation to convert this system into a straight system without returning the water, I would preferably disconnect the couplers K in the return train-pipe and allow the water to drip from the ends of these couplers, it being possible to direct the water to either end of the return train-pipe as desired by turning the three-way valve at the junction of the return from the car to the return train-pipe.

In Fig. 4 I show the heat-distributing system in the form of a coil of pipe W, which is connected at one end to the pipe B, the supply-pipe, at the other end to the train-pipe A, the return-pipe, provided with valves corresponding to J and L, respectively, and particularly adapted for use in a baggage-car, where it would be inadvisable to run the pipes the full length of each side of the car, but operated in substantially the same manner as already described.

In Fig. 5 I show my invention applied to the multiple-circuit system, in which I connect the pipes A and B, the pipe A being the supply and B the return pipe, with the drum 7., which is usually placed beneath thccar-lioor and which has at one end chambers .2 a", connected with which chambers z I arrange the pipe X, communicating with the train-pipe A. The pipe X, communicating with the pipe 1- connects with the chamber .2. Within the drum Z, I arrangethe heat-distributing system, consisting of currugated pipes 1, 2, 3, and 4?, the pipes 1 and 2 being connected together at their loose ends by means ofthe return-bend 5, the pipes 3 and 4 being connected together by means of a similar returnbend 6. The ends of the said pipes opposite the return-bends are secured in any suitable manner and open into the chambers z .2, the pipes 2 and 4 opening into the chamber .2, and 1 and 3 opening into the chamber 5. At the end of the drum Z opposite the chamber a I arrange an opening 7, near the bottom of the drum, connecting with the chamber 8 which near the top of the drum is provided with an opening 9, which connects with the pipe 10, extending to each side of the car and connected at each end with a system of watercirculating pipes and arranged to conduct the water from said pipes into said drum, there to be deposited at the bottom thereof. Near the end of the drum Z and at the top thereof and communicating with the interior of the drum I arrange an opening 11, which connects with the pipe 12, extending to the water-circulating pipes on each side of the car. As thus arranged the water coming into the drum from thepipe 10 becomes heated when in contact with the corrugated pipes 1,

2, 3, and 4, containing steam, and passes out through the pipe 12 to each side of the car and makes its circuit. I arrange valves at the connection between the train-pipes A and B and the pipes connecting the drums therewith, X and X, as already described, allowing for the reverse flow of steam, depending uponthe position of the engine to the car.

I do not wish to limit myself to the construc- .tion of valvedescribed, because it is evident to the opposite end of the car, and conse-- quently making steam-pressure in the other one of the two train-pipes, the direction of these handles then being reversed the sizes of these ports will also be reversed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A system for heating railway-cars in which a train-pipe conducts steam from the source of supply to the car, a return-pipe carries the water of condensation back to the source of supply of steam, a radiator placed within the car, connections made between the lowest point of said radiator with the steamcarrying pipe, similar connections made between a corresponding point at the opposite end of said radiator with the return-pipe,

with similar suitable valves for the purposeof regulating the supply of steam and the drip, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

2; In a railway-car-heatin g system, asteamsupply pipe, a return-pipe, radiating-pipes placed in the car, a three-way valve in the steam-supply pipe connected with a pipe registering with the radiating-pipes at their lowest extremity, a three-way valve in the return-pipe connected with a pipe registering with the radiating-pipes at their lowest extremity, a steam and drip valveplaced in each of said pipes connected with said radiating-pipes,substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a system for heating railway-cars, a radiating-pipe placed on each side of the car in substantially a horizontal position, two pipes connected with said radiating-pipe, one at each end thereof and slightly declining toward the center of the car, each of said lastmentioned pipes connecting with substantially horizontal pipes, a means for conveying steam to one of said pipes, the other connected with the return-pipe, with suitable valves for regulating the supply of steam and the drip, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a railway-car heating system, two train-pipes, either of which may be used as a return-pipe, radiating-pipes located along the side of a car,communication between the lowest points of the radiating system with each of the train-pipes, suitable three-way valves located at points of communication with the train-pipes, all arranged and constructed to operate reversibly, as hereinbefore specified.

5. 'A system for heating railway-cars in which a train-pipe conducts steam from the source of supply to the car, a return-pipe car'- ries the water of condensation back to the source of supply of steam, a heat-distributing system, pipes for conducting steam from the steam-supply pipe to the lowest point of the system, and arranged to heat the same, similar pipes for conducting the condensed steam to the return-pipe,with similar suitable valves for the purpose of regulating the supply of steam to said system and the drip, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

JAMES F. MCELROY. Witnesses:

H. J. NoDINE, W. 1?. EDDY. 

